Doc did not want to sign a 5 year deal. He wanted to go year to year. Ainge wanted him to sign for 5 years to keep PP, KG and resign Green, and lure other free agents.

Doc would stay on UNTIL the best opportunity to rebuild offered itself. Doc's contract was an asset in the rebuilding, even if Doc took a year or two off, the contract afforded the C's leverage for a return asset for Doc.

This was an agreement between Doc and Ainge

The agreement with the Clips for a 2014 choice which would be combined with the C's choice to move up in a very great draft year, and the 2016 draft when the Clips will again stink.

Jordan has very little money owed and he will be allowed to walk at the end of his deal.

Complete redo of the roster in a 3 year window with potential high lottery picks in 2014 and 2016 and a lot of money to augment the roster with free agents in those years.

Perfectly played out by Ainge, complimented by Doc, who has remained quiet in spite unwarranted criticism, but ruined by CPaul who had to open his mouth.

The Doc and the big 3 era is over. It was a great run. It is now time to move on. The guy who created the Doc and big 3 era, Ainge, deserves, and is the guy I most want creating the next era.

Doc is not to blame here. Doc has been a great partner in trying to execute this rebuild.

The criticism on the board of Doc has bothered me. And it is totally misplaced

Did you learn all this having a beer with Doc and Danny? Come on....

Doc is certainly the bad guy here. If for nothing else, Adrian Wo...who's been right on the money, reported Doc advised the Clippers to not offer Bledsoe in the trade... this while DOc still under contract with the Celtics. Thats outrageous

Doc also signed a 5 yr deal with the C's knowing rebuilding was coming. This was not a good move by DA... Doc also promised Wyc he'd move to Boston which of course was a lie. Doc used his relationship with a naive DA to extract a huge coaching contract and is now backstabbing the Celtics... which IM happy for cause getting Doc out of here is a good thing

No beers with them. But I was camped out on assignment at TD Monday thru Thursday waiting for further breaking news. These facts will come out in the next 1-5 days, once the Clips hire someone.

All of your premises are incorrect. Doc did not extract 5 year contract. The C's WANTED him under contract for 5 years, knowing that within 1-3 years, or whenever KG, Ray and PP were finished Doc might be an asset. They also wanted Doc for 5 to show free agents in that 1-3 year window they would be playing for Doc.

This has been planned since weeks before Doc signed the contract.

It was NEVER in the plan for Doc to move north...

Part of Docs agreement with the Clips was going to be the deciding factor on personnel decisions, hence the Bledsoe situation.

It would not surprise me if this Doc takes a year off, KG is traded to the Clips, and next year the C's get a draft choice from some team signing Doc.

DA is moving on with the rebuild, and sees the 2014 draft as the key.

Let me understand...

The C's agreed to pay Doc $35M because he "might" be an asset down the road?? Such as the proposed deal with the CLips for one draft pick?

No, the Celts agreed to pay Doc $7m per year for each year he coached. If he walked away to TV or to another team, they don't pay him, but retain his rights for the length of the contract, making him a trade chip/asset

What FA's of any consequence have the C's signed that Docs 5 yr deal attracted?

They kept PP, got KG and Ray to agree to trades here because Doc was the coach. Along with Rondo and Perk/Green contracts, there was no $$$ to obtain any free agents other than complimentary pieces like Terry, who came because of Doc.

Your reasoning for Docs interference with the Bledsoe deal is based upon DOc making personell decisions for Clips should he be hired.. However, Doc isnt with the Clips, hes HC of the Celtics..

He is not HC of the Celts anymore. He is done, had a great run, and he set the C's up to quickly regroup for the next run by being a team player and great ally to DA...

Based upon the above, with the stipulation your information is correct... DA has made massive blunders and assumptions with his strategy regarding signing Doc to a 5yr, $35 M deal

how is that? If Doc goes to another team or to TV, the Celts don't owe him a dime, but they treating his rights for 3 more years as a trade chip. Genius.

I don't claim to write for anyone concerning the Celtics,I do write occassional articles for Football Nation.com and I specifically cover the Patriots. I don't know the circumstances regarding the contract Doc received from the Celtics,nor do I know what Danny Ainge's long term plan is for the team. I do know from everything I've read about the on again, off again trade rumor, that the Clippers are a rutterless ship, and that they have no active GM ! This is a problem when the owner of the team assumes to know enough too handle the day to day responsibilities of the GM, and at the same time play owner! It doesn't work in Dallas where Jerry Jones is the self appointed everything of the Dallas Cowboys,so it probably is even less likely that Donald Sterling can do the two jobs either. The only thing that would upset me as a fan, is the fact that Doc decided to interject his opinion as to what compensation would be fair in return for his services. I think he overstepped his position, and that Sterling gained an unfair opinion at the expense of the Celtics when their employee advised him not to include Bledsoe in any trade, and I'm pretty sure that is called tampering, and that the Celtics will be requesting compensation for the tampering of another teams employee. Whether Donald Sterns adheres to the letter of the law in his ruling, is a question for another day.

No such thing....the Celts will pat Doc on the back as he leaves the org. Doc is going to be the coach and GM with regards to personnel a la BB.

I don't know doc personally,but I'm guessing nobody on this board does either, so I have no clue what kind of guy he js privately. I do know that if he doesn't want to coach in Boston anymore because of what ever reason. The honus is on Doc to decide as a pro that has been shown more respect by an organization than any coach I've seen in a long long while to make a decision to walk or not privately and quietly. If the problem is Rondo,I love his game but,I'm a name on the front of the jersey see if we can pry Horford and L Williams away from the Hawks if it helps them sign Smith,go for it. The Clip fiasco was just that. If that was the way they wanted to go they should have made the trade and then given permission for them to hire doc. I personally don't think we're in as bad shape talent wise as some believe even if we don't have Rondo,PP,KG or doc. I think we have a good young nucleus,if we are going to try and start fresh then moving contracts and not taking on any long term contracts unless palyers we get are young and can be part of our building plan. Like with the Clips I would rather take Butlers expiring contract than Jordans.a career back up,for 3 yrs @ 10 mil. I will say this draft night this Thursday will be more interesting than it has been in a while for us.

You want me to believe that this has been 35 millions investment/scheme that Ainge and Doc have thought up a few years ago to fleece unsuspecting teams to give up valuable asset for the Celtics? And then some actually think this is a fact, and since it would never ever come out or admitted by anyone involved that this was the plan then it must be true? This is nothing but simply a conspiracy theory dejour.

Now that it is most likely that the whole plan has failed, and Doc reputation has been tarnished and Ainge is left with 35 millions dollars probably ineffective and possibly useless coach, how does that work out for them? They are so smart, have they actually foreseen this downside?

It is not a $35m investment. It is a $7m per year investment for one of the 2 best coaches in the NBA for a team that has the big 3 plus Rondo.

Look, Doc saw the rebuild coming before he signed. He did not want to stay back then. DA convinced him to stay as long as the big 3 had a chance, and once they both agreed the run is over, Doc would be free to leave and the Celts would have a valuable trade chip. DA and Doc both agree the run is over and time to rebuild and move on. Perfect timing if the Celts can maneuver to 2 lottery picks in 2014, and available cash in 2015 ( Jordan off the books)

I don't know doc personally,but I'm guessing nobody on this board does either, so I have no clue what kind of guy he js privately. I do know that if he doesn't want to coach in Boston anymore because of what ever reason. The honus is on Doc to decide as a pro that has been shown more respect by an organization than any coach I've seen in a long long while to make a decision to walk or not privately and quietly. If the problem is Rondo,I love his game but,I'm a name on the front of the jersey see if we can pry Horford and L Williams away from the Hawks if it helps them sign Smith,go for it. The Clip fiasco was just that. If that was the way they wanted to go they should have made the trade and then given permission for them to hire doc. I personally don't think we're in as bad shape talent wise as some believe even if we don't have Rondo,PP,KG or doc. I think we have a good young nucleus,if we are going to try and start fresh then moving contracts and not taking on any long term contracts unless palyers we get are young and can be part of our building plan. Like with the Clips I would rather take Butlers expiring contract than Jordans.a career back up,for 3 yrs @ 10 mil. I will say this draft night this Thursday will be more interesting than it has been in a while for us.

No, no, no. DA will rebuild thru the draft only. He will also trade for players. He won't chase mediocre free agents for big $$$, only complimentary pieces in free agency to what he drafts.

Right, they were aiming for 2 lottery picks, but where are they now? And Doc is ok with being seen as a opportunistic backstabbing front-runner, and all the the talks about bleeding green and loyalty is part of the act? It does not take a lot of thinking to see that this would end up as bad PR for Doc for a lot of Celtics fan, and Doc at the times 2 years said, not a problem? Yes UFO is real....

Some of this may be true but the bigger issue here is Doc is trying to bail on a team that isn't that bad. HE JUST NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB COACHING. This is a team that would've played better had it not been for so many injuries. They still made the playoffs and should've beat the Knicks.

Doc should've stuck with this team one more year. KG was still an All Star. Trade Rondo or keep Rondo but make him accountable. Why did Doc turn the team over to an enigma. Get SUlly healthy. Play Green major minutes....all the time not just when he's playing well. Play big men. Stop giving PP all the minutes and ISOs at the end of games. Get a defensive coach.

There are alot of things Doc can do with the team he has to play better. This team when healthy is a 4th seed in the East. Doc just wants a ton of talent to mask his coaching...but if he were realy looking at the situation he would see the Celtics have more talent than the Clippers. HE HAS TO DO HIS PART.

Skipping past all the blah ... I completely agree with the OPs ideas. If I were to put money on what's going on, that would be it.

Danny and Doc are both smart enough to create win-win scenerios. Doc won with 7M per, Danny won with the 5 years and now Danny has Doc as an asset (win) and Doc has the chance to chase a title elsewhere (win). In doing so they prolong KGs career (win) and make it easier for Paul to contend elsewhere (win) and are willing to make other teams contenders (win for Clippers).

The only loser may be Rondo, but let's face it, in order for Rondo to prove he is ellite, he needs to remove the training wheels of Doc, KG, and PP. So in the end, Rondo has the opportunity to be the star of his own team, under nobody's shadow ... win

It is funny, one say this was a "win" when right below it, it was a disaster. In the end if it is a win, what have we gotten for it, and if this is a win-win, what will we get if Doc goes to the broadcast booth but 7 millions a year overpaid coaching contract. And if Doc commands such a great respect that people want to come here, what does that do to the Celtics reputation going forward when Doc does not want to have anything to do with the team anymore even with $7 millions a year dangling infront of him? What a win-win situation we have here...

You want me to believe that this has been 35 millions investment/scheme that Ainge and Doc have thought up a few years ago to fleece unsuspecting teams to give up valuable asset for the Celtics? And then some actually think this is a fact, and since it would never ever come out or admitted by anyone involved that this was the plan then it must be true? This is nothing but simply a conspiracy theory dejour.

Now that it is most likely that the whole plan has failed, and Doc reputation has been tarnished and Ainge is left with 35 millions dollars probably ineffective and possibly useless coach, how does that work out for them? They are so smart, have they actually foreseen this downside?

A fact usually has some real and citable evidences to support it. Ainge made some good moves and some bad moves whether it be draftings and signings or tradings. Great GM? Maybe above average but I can't argue with the one championship, and for that I would thank him for making it happened along with many good and interesting years.

+2

From Jan Volk to Dave Gavitt to M.L. Carr to Rick Pitino to Chris Wallace, the Celts never became an elite team. It was only when Ainge took over that the Celts made it back to the Finals, twice, and won a championship.

It was only when Ainge took over that the Celtics made it back to the Finals , twice , and won a Championship.......

YES, BEST COMMENT ON THIS BOARD EVER !

All will be revealed on Thursday night , the next 5 years of our lives as Celtics fans will begin to take shape.

My worst fear is the Celtics overpaying for Josh Smith and Al Jefferson.

Bird,B,L you may be right. I'm a Rondo guy but again I'm all about the front of the jersey. One thing we definately agree with is that we both think doc is overated.

Rkarp,I think you actually agree with me and didn't quite interpret my post. I don't consider trying to get Horford and L Williams through trade would be getting average players with big contracts. Horford is probably THE most underated Center in the NBA right now and he's coming into his prime and gets paid 500,000 more than Jordan. L Williams watch him 1 game and tell me he isn't a piece that wouldn't make our team beter right away and down the road and is locked up for 3 years at 4 mil. As for wanting Butler over Jordan,Butler isn't a player for retooling as by his own talent,he is servicable even if we trade his expiring 8 mil contract during the season either way his cap $ is gone after this season. Jordan is a player that has as many liabilities as assetts and will be harder to trade with his 10.5 for 3yrs,that has as much to do with the Clips offering us him but not wanting to give up Bledsoe who is still in his rookie contract and is still tadeable because of his supposed "upside". DA used draft picks to quickly rebuild this team in 07 not by drafting but by trading picks. If we're planning to build through the draft I don't see anyone that is lock to be a guy to build around this year.

There is no one bad guy here this has been a group effort, KG holding the team up with his no trade and I want this player and this coach or I walk is sadly not unlike DHs demands in Orlando. PP just wants to get paid and the 11 mil difference is something you can't blame him for and hasn't made any demands,who knows maybe he's called KG and Doc to keep him out of this. Doc is trying to keep his image and inflated opinion of his coaching abilities and that players will go anywhere he is coaching,so I guess he's just c.h.a. DA biggest fault in this is giving to much ability for KG and doc to try and hold him over a barrel by publicly showing his hand by been giving too much say on how they're dealt with.

I'm good with Doc going somewhere else,I personally thought he could've brought at least one more banner with the players he had. we got screwed out of one 10 BUT he could've adapted his style and subbed more when we were up by 20,I say he does that and we're never in a position where a refs bad call costs us a ring. I believe 1 thing is for sure more of us will be watching the draft this Thursday than we have the last 4 years. What happens is anyones guess.

ITs amazing a bdc poster claims to have the inside scoop of all the back alley deals and arrangements Doc & DA made regarding signing him to a 5 yr $35M contract... yet not a word from the NBA pundits and beats writes or guys who are supposed to be in the know... just our BDC poster rkarp... and people actually fall for this nonsense.

Sure, it was an intelligent, well thought out deal DA made with DOc for $35M..because that would lock DOc in so we could agree to release him for an asset.. like the lame draft pick from the CLippers LOL

Sure, its claimed that 5yr deal was made to attract FA's to Boston, like J Terry? LOL

Now hes claiming DOc isnt the HC of the Celtics anymore... News Bulletin...ur wrong! Doc is still the HC of the Celtics and he shouldnt be urging the Clippers to hold back Bledsoe in the trade.. That is preposterous you could even attempt to slide that nonsense by anyone.

Finally you claim to be inside DAs head and know for a fact he will rebuild the C"s only through the draft...

Nobody in the professional NBA has mentioned such circumstances or knowledge or such an arrangement and understanding between Doc & DA....except for you..... my goodness are you impressive.

Rkarp spins a complicated tale and I don't know if its right or wrong but I will say that I've read two stories in support of what he's saying.

One article (I'd have to go back a week to research where I read it) pointed out that Doc would only sign a deal with the Clippers if he was sure the Celts were getting ample compensation. Another story on ProSports daily reported that Doc had been trying to convince Danny all along to stay with the attempt to tweak the team and gradually rebuild vs blowing it up and that he did not want to be part of blowing it up as he (Doc) believed that with a few younger players mixed in, this team was still highly competitive (and that Doc has been taking that position with Danny for several years). This indicates Danny did, in fact, know that Doc would leave when it came time to blow it up.

More evidence that Doc has been working with the Celts to get the best deal for the C's or he would not take the job:

ProSportsDaily and YahooSports from Woj reporting: "Clearly, Rivers' telling the Clippers he no longer had interest in the job – and the Celtics setting a Friday deadline for a deal – were negotiating postures to leverage the Clippers back with a better offer."

ITs amazing a bdc poster claims to have the inside scoop of all the back alley deals and arrangements Doc & DA made regarding signing him to a 5 yr $35M contract... yet not a word from the NBA pundits and beats writes or guys who are supposed to be in the know... just our BDC poster rkarp... and people actually fall for this nonsense.

Sure, it was an intelligent, well thought out deal DA made with DOc for $35M..because that would lock DOc in so we could agree to release him for an asset.. like the lame draft pick from the CLippers LOL

Sure, its claimed that 5yr deal was made to attract FA's to Boston, like J Terry? LOL

Now hes claiming DOc isnt the HC of the Celtics anymore... News Bulletin...ur wrong! Doc is still the HC of the Celtics and he shouldnt be urging the Clippers to hold back Bledsoe in the trade.. That is preposterous you could even attempt to slide that nonsense by anyone.

Finally you claim to be inside DAs head and know for a fact he will rebuild the C"s only through the draft...

Nobody in the professional NBA has mentioned such circumstances or knowledge or such an arrangement and understanding between Doc & DA....except for you..... my goodness are you impressive.

Karl,

I am only saying what really happened in this situation because the criticism of Doc is unwarranted. I don't expect you to understand it, comprehend it or agree with it.

Doc doesn't work here anymore, and he gave us a great run.

The focus is now on 2014 season, which has the deepest draft in the past 10 years. The Celts pick will be a lotto pick, and they will also have the Clips pick. The rebuilding starts Monday

After days of wrangling, negotiating and posturing, the Los Angeles Clippers have agreed in principle to a deal with the Celtics for Glenn "Doc" Rivers, pending league approval, according to sources.

Sources confirmed on Sunday that the Clippers will sign Rivers to a three-year, $21 million contract. They will send a first-round pick as compensation for the Boston Celtics, who have agreed to release the coach from the three years, $21 million he has remaining on his deal with the club.

More on the Celtics

Keep on top of the Green throughout the offseason with ESPNBoston.com's Chris Forsberg. Blog

Contrary to previous reports, according to league and team sources, the Celtics have been complicit all along in assisting Rivers make the switch from Boston to Los Angeles.

Although Danny Ainge, the Celtics director of basketball operations, was initially irked that Rivers was lukewarm about returning to Boston, where a rebuilding process will soon be underway, team sources said he recognized the best way to accumulate first round draft picks, which he covets, would be to relinquish his two most valued assets -- Rivers and Kevin Garnett. Since then, he and Rivers have been working side by side to secure a deal that is best for both parties, sources said.

Team sources confirmed Ainge has also been trying to secure a first-round pick for veteran Paul Pierce, who can be bought out by June 30 for $5 million. The Celtics have been unsuccessful thus far, leaving open the possibility they keep Pierce and his $15.3 million contract on their books, and attempt to deal him again at the trading deadline next winter, when teams historically look for veteran help and are willing to overpay.

More on the Clippers

For more news, notes and analysis of the L.A. Clippers, check out the Clippers Report. Blog

Celtics ownership, which blanched at the thought of paying a coach $7 million a season for a team that will not be in contention for a division title, never mind an NBA title, is also on board with Rivers' departure, sources said.

League and teams sources also confirmed that for now, any deal involving Garnett and the Clippers is on hold in light of commissioner David Stern's objections to the appearance that the KG deal (for DeAndre Jordan) and Rivers were related.

Team sources also indicated that Rivers is frustrated with the perception that he was the driving force behind the push to go to the Clippers, or that he was unwilling to coach the Celtics if Pierce and Garnett were not going to be on the roster.

"Doc never said any such thing," said a source close to the coach. "He just wasn't sure if he could rev himself up for years of rebuilding. He never issued any ultimatums about anyone."

The Celtics have a press conference scheduled for noon on Monday, where, sources said, Rivers is expected to explain his decision to leave Boston after nine seasons.

Yahoo! sports and The Boston Globe earlier reported the teams renewed talks after hitting an impasse on Friday.

Although Danny Ainge, the Celtics director of basketball operations, was initially irked that Rivers was lukewarm about returning to Boston, where a rebuilding process will soon be underway, team sources said he recognized the best way to accumulate first round draft picks, which he covets, would be to relinquish his two most valued assets -- Rivers and Kevin Garnett. Since then, he and Rivers have been working side by side to secure a deal that is best for both parties, sources said.

The above pgh makes it clear there was no such strategy in place when Doc & DA agreed on the 5yr $35M deal, as you are insisting.

Although Danny Ainge, the Celtics director of basketball operations, was initially irked that Rivers was lukewarm about returning to Boston, where a rebuilding process will soon be underway, team sources said he recognized the best way to accumulate first round draft picks, which he covets, would be to relinquish his two most valued assets -- Rivers and Kevin Garnett. Since then, he and Rivers have been working side by side to secure a deal that is best for both parties, sources said.

The above pgh makes it clear there was no such strategy in place when Doc & DA agreed on the 5yr $35M deal, as you are insisting.

Although Danny Ainge, the Celtics director of basketball operations, was initially irked that Rivers was lukewarm about returning to Boston, where a rebuilding process will soon be underway, team sources said he recognized the best way to accumulate first round draft picks, which he covets, would be to relinquish his two most valued assets -- Rivers and Kevin Garnett. Since then, he and Rivers have been working side by side to secure a deal that is best for both parties, sources said.

The above pgh makes it clear there was no such strategy in place when Doc & DA agreed on the 5yr $35M deal, as you are insisting.

I have a bridge to sell you upstate.

Sounds like thats what you been trying to do in this thread.. however the bridge is in Brooklyn, not upstate.. Duh